Dispenser cabinet



June 29, 1937. G. A. SHAFFER ET AL DISPENSER CABINET Filed April 6, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l f 2 35M M m m e f w 0 June 1937- G. A. SHAFFER ET AL 2,085,479

DISPENSER CABINET (lamina/15A UNITED STTES PATENT OFFIQE DISPENSER CABINET Glenn A. Shaffer and Franklin H. Wirtz, Green Bay, Wis, assignors to Fort Howard Paper Company, Green Bay, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application April 6, 1933, Serial No. 664,812

5 Claims.

The invention relates to dispenser cabinets and has as an object the provision of a drawer type of napkin dispenser which may be utilized in any desirable form of cabinet.

In ordinary cafeterias the counter space has become so limited that the ordinary type of napkin dispenser sitting upon the counter is using space which is essential for other use. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a napkin dispenser which may be placed in a space under the table or counter top where the napkins may be readily available, or in a cabinet of such nature that the top of the cabinet itself may be available as counter space. In this service the invention provides a dispenser which is in the form of a drawer which may be slid outwardly for replenishment of the napkins therein.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a drawer type dispenser as referred to wherein the follower plate and its impelling means are carried by the drawer itself so as not to disarrange the relation of the follower plate to any remaining napkins in the drawer when the drawer is slid out of the cabinet.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a drawer type dispenser in which the impelling means for the follower plate are concealed in the sides of the drawer.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of the character referred to having novel form of follower plate impelling means.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention and wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of the drawer with the cabinet omitted; V

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly broken away of a drawer with a base upon which it may be mounted and which may form a portion of a cabinet;

Fig. 3is a detail vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevation partly in transverse section on line 55 of Fig. 4.

As shown the device is designed to slide upon a base II), which, as indicated in Fig. 5, may be secured to the bottom II of a cablnet'not shown, the device comprising an open top drawer having side plates I2. The rearwardend of the drawer may be left open if desired since no function would be secured by its closure. The side members |2 are shown as having angularly turned portions I3 at their bottom edge to coact with grooves I l in the baseboard II].

To provide enclosures for impelling means for a follower plate, the side plates I2 are shown as turned inwardly at I5 and then upwardly at IS. The top edge may be turned at an angle as IT if desired to promote stiffness and to avoid a sharp edge at the upper portion of the open drawer. An inner enclosure for the housing or enclosure for the impelling means is provided in the form of an inner receptacle having sides I8 and a bottom I9 "connecting the sides. The interior spacing of the sides I8 is the same as the interior spacing of the sides I6 of the upper part of the drawer and the upper edges of the sides I8 terminate in outwardly turned flanges spaced from the lower edges of the portion I6 to provide slots in which the horizontal plate 2| secured to the follower plate 22 is caused to slide. The plate 2| is shown as formed with a downwardly turned flange 23 secured to the follower plate 22 whereby to hold the follower plate in accurate position.

To force the follower plate toward the front of the drawer, the plate 2| is provided with projections 24 which extend into the enclosures between the plates I2 and I8 and are turned downwardly therein to each be secured to a coiled spring 25 passing about a pulley 26 and anchored at. its end to a spacing member 21 adjacent the rear of the drawer. The spacing of the plates I2 and I8 is preserved by bushings 21 and rivets or screws passing through the bushings and through the plates to thus hold them in rigid relation with each other.

.To reduce friction of napkins in the device, the bottom I9 is desirably provided with beads 28.

A rear stop for the plate 22 is indicated in the form of y a bar 29 secured to outwardly turned flanges 30 upon the portion IE of the side plate as by means of screw bolts 3|, which bar 29 serves not only as a stop for the follower plate but as a brace for the rear end of the drawer when the same remains open. The rear end portion 32 of the drawer is shown as offset from the end portion 33 thereof to allow the plate 2| to retreat beyond the stop 29.

A front plate 34 having a dispensing opening 35 with outwardly flared edges 36, 3'! is shown as secured by screw bolts 38 to outwardly turned flanges 39 carried by the side plates I6. To hold the drawer in closed position, a concealed catch is provided in the form of a catch member 40 carried by a leaf spring 4| secured to the base catch member will automatically depress the catch so as to allow the return of the drawer.

" An attendant familiar with the construction can 1 dispensing opening;

readily force any napkins present in the drawer and the follower plate 22 rearwardly sufliciently to gain access to the catch to release the catch member 40 whereupon the drawer member may be readily pulled out for replenishment of napkins.

, The follower plate is held out of contact with the bottom of the drawer and being supported in an upright position by the plate 2| at about the center of gravity of plate 22, the follower plate will slide very. freely and efficiently hold folded napkins upright and feed them toward the delivery opening.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the invention within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

We claim:

1. A napkin dispenser comprising, in combination: a casing; a front for said casing having a outer side walls for said casing; inner'side walls for said casing extending substantially one-half the height thereof and spaced from the outer walls to provide spaces therebetween; means to partially close said spaces at their edges adjacent the central vertical extent of the casing leaving slots into said spaces; a follower plate; means projecting at the vertical edges of the follower plate into said slots to support and guide the follower plate for sliding movement; and impelling means 'housed in said spaces and connected to said catch to automatically disengage the catch from the rearopening when the drawer is closed; a follower plate slidably mounted in said drawer; and means to urge the follower toward the drawerfront,

3. In a napkin dispenser, in combination: a casing including inner and outer portions; said inner portion comprising side plates extending substantially one-half the height of the casing; said outer portion comprising side walls spaced at their lower portions from said inner side walls; the upper portions of the outer side walls inwardly offset to lie in the plane of the inner side walls with the adjacent edges of the respective side Walls spaced to provide slots opening into the spaces between the side walls; a follower plate in said casing; means projecting from said follower plate through said slots; a front for said casing formed with a dispensing opening; and means housed in the space between the side walls and connected to said projecting means to impel the follower plate toward said dispensing opening.

4. In a napkin dispenser, in combination: a casing including inner and outer portions and a front provided with a dispensing opening; said inner portion comprising a bottom and side walls extending substantially one-half the height of the casing with their upper margins turned out- Wardly; said outer portion comprising side walls,

the lower portions thereof spaced from said inner side walls to provide impeller housing chambers, the 7 central portions thereof. turned inwardly above said inner side walls to close said chamber, and their upper portions extending upwardly in the planes of and with their lower edges spaced from the upper edges of said inner side walls; a bar of substantial width mounted with its end in the slots thus provided between the edges of the inner and outer side walls; a follower plate secured to an edge of said bar; and impeller means in said chambers connected to the ends of said bar to urge said follower toward said dispensing opening.

5. A dispenser for folded paper napkins, comprising a container of rectangular cross-section having its side walls provided with longitudinally extending narrow slots and having an apertured front end, a follower plate within said container, a carrier for said follower plate comprising a member having a part secured to said follower plate and having flat end portions projecting outwardly through the slots in said side walls, said carrier supporting said follower plate for movement in said container, said flat end portions being in sliding engagement with said slotted side walls and having extended bearing in said slots to prevent tilting of said plate about a horizontal axis, means secured to said carrier and adapted to have extended bearing engagement with the surfaces of said side walls to prevent tilting movement of said follower plate about a vertical axis, and springs secured to said fiat end portions outwardly of said side Walls for constantly urging said follower plate toward said apertured front wall.

GLENN A. SHAFFER.

FRANKLIN H. WIRTZ. 

